Together For Now
by under-a-vampire's-spell
Summary: ON TEMPORARY HOLD A story about a girl and a vampire boy, whose lives change as they become closer. Suspense and dangers occur. Yuki X Zero Please review. Flames are welcome if needed.
1. Chapter 1 Nightmares

**I do not own Vampire Knight, although I wish I could. Haha. Anyway, hope you all enjoy! This is my first fanfic, so enjoy the best you can!!! Read and Review!**

It was supposed to be a beautiful, relishing first Winter day. The blackened sky dotted with stars was breathtaking, and the wind was a light breeze as it whistled and blew through the frail silver strands of his hair. Zero tried his best to savor the moment as much as he could, knowing that he only a limited time on this earth to enjoy such moments. 

He inhaled briefly, mentally shaking his head clear of such thoughts. At the same time, he caught the familiar, delicious scent of someone near by. Her wonderful smell had always been appetizing to him, and Zero had repeatedly tried to resist the wine. Somehow, the wine had managed to always maintain her hold on him.

Her face came into view and Zero stared at Yuki as a bright, weary grin stretched itself onto her expression. Her thin, brunette strands blew across her face as she approached him and Zero stared at her wandering eyes and sagging figure, then sighed.

"Go to bed, Yuki. I'll stay and keep watch." She hesitated, then nodded, smiling at how Zero always looked after her. Sometimes he could see right past her. She had tried to keep a bright smile on as she had approached him, but Zero knew that she was deeply exhausted.

"Thanks Zero," she said brightly, and skipped awkwardly back to her room. He watched her, frowning as her bounced up on her shoulders. A few times, before she disappeared into Cross Academy, a patch of skin upon her neck would reveal itself.

He winced at the tightening of his throat, and as his mouth became dry. It had been a few days since he had last taken from her, and now he was bloodthirsty again.

Zero wanted to follow her, knowing that she would give voluntarily give her blood up for him. But he couldn't make her do that.

He shouldn't.

He wouldn't.

Besides, he always took from her. What was she benefiting from that? She probably didn't even care. He was nothing. Just a monster who needed blood. Just another vampire out for fulfillment.

He sighed. The slight breeze from before was getting harder. Zero smelled approaching rain, and he hugged his jacket tighter. He should go inside. He didn't want to stay when it rained. As he whirled around to go back to Cross Academy, a pair of ruby eyes stared at him out from the closest window. He recognized them as belonging to the new vampire girl, Kasumi Miyako.

She had arrived a few weeks earlier, and had pissed Zero off from day one. She had a real bad, snobbish attitude about her. Unlike the other aristocrat vampires, Kasumi did not own polite manners. The only thing worse than a vampire, Zero thought, is a vampire with a rotten attitude.

He looked away and went inside the Academy. Yuki was in her room when Zero began to take a shower. The water was warm, and it soothed his body for only a second. But as he caught the scent of her favorite strawberry shampoo, his blood lust returned and all tender thoughts faded from his mind. He hurried to get out and go to bed.

Still, even his daytime nightmares intruded in his sleep. Zero couldn't even escape them as he dreamt.

The thundering echo outside pounded in Zero's mind as he dreamt of a memorable snow day. A white blanket covered itself throughout the entire yard of one large house, the kind of house you only see in movies and where a lively, affectionate family lived.

But this was not the case. The house belonged to a family of Vampire Hunters, a well known family who called themselves Kiryu. The ironic thing was that these Vampire Hunters were practically wiped out by vampires. Zero couldn't save his parents, or his brother. And he couldn't save himself.

Now, as the snow continued to fall upon him, Zero stood, transfixed as he glanced around him. As if he had stepped back through time, he watched as the Pureblood Vampire who had changed him step back from a limp body on the ground. Her mouth was smeared with blood. His blood. He watched as the young image of himself lay limp on ground, his body altering to that of a vampire's.

Then the dream changed and Zero looked straight ahead. He was standing in a forest, surrounded by midnight darkness and the silhouettes of the trees. And right there in front of him stood Yuki. But something was different about the bright, shining, cheerful, innocent Yuki that he knew.

Zero peered closer, and his jaw dropped when he realized that bite marks scarred the side of her neck. Blood trickled down her chest and onto her clothes, and Yuki's eyes...they were lifeless. Completely empty. There was no trace of shine left.

And in her hand was the Bloody Rose. Yuki, her eyes lost and unforgiving, raised her arm up until the gun was pointed directly at Zero. He froze, staring at her with wide eyes.

"Yuki..." he whispered, pleading. "Wait, I'm not a Level E, yet. Yuki, wait—!"

"I'm sorry, Zero," was all she said.

"Yuki—!

"So sorry..." she muttered, her voice dead. "Zero..."

Then the gun fired.

And Zero woke up, yelling as he sat up in his bed. A thin sheen of sweat covered his body, the stickiness revolting to him. His eyes adjusted quickly to the darkness around him, and he managed to glimpse for a short moment that his bedroom door was thrown open.

Then he realized that he was not alone as he felt his bedcovers being ripped off from him.

"Zero!" he heard Yuki yell as her face appeared beside him. "Zero, what's wrong? Zero!" she gasped, looking at his eyes. She had never seen them so empty, so flat, so...barren...

What exactly had Zero dreamt about?

"Zero...?" Yuki whispered as softly as she could, noticing that it was still dark outside. It was probably the middle of the night, Yuki wasn't sure. She was sleeping peacefully until she heard Zero's agonizing screams from all the way down the hall. She was surprised that the Chairman hadn't heard him. "Zero, look at me."

Zero continued to keep focus on the wall in front of him.

Yuki... The image of her, bloody and vengeful, sickened him. How could he have done that to her? How could he hurt her that much? What had he done to make Yuki appear like that? It was like she hadn't even cared about killing him, as if she needn't have another second thought about it.

But that didn't bother him the most. It was the fact that he knew his dream would become real soon...too soon. There was going to be a time when Zero would be human no longer, and Yuki would really have to kill him. He told her to kill him by her own hand, then, right? So why did he still feel upset and empty at the mere thought of it actually happening. Dying wasn't a problem. It was leaving Yuki one last memory of him as being what he truly was; a monster.

"Zero...!" Yuki screamed again, trying to capture his attention. She reached out and grabbed his chin, tilting it up toward her so that he could face her directly. Still, his impassive features revealed nothing to her. Yuki sighed, disappointed. It seemed that she would have to force it out of him. No matter how dreadful that sounded. She knew that he still had nightmares about his past nowadays, even after four years. Yuki wondered how often he really thought about his past, and of that night.

"Zero, are you okay?" she asked him, not surprised at all when he tried to look away from her. She moved her hand until she held his cheek, sighing as she did so. "Zero, I'm your friend. You can tell me anything, you know."

Zero shifted uncomfortably, not wanting to speak. Just to be left alone. Even Yuki couldn't help him with this. After four years, she still tried to help him? It was enough that she helped him when he was thirsty. He wasn't about to trouble her any longer. Especially with this.

"It's nothing." His voice was raspy from all the yelling he did, and he tried to moisten his throat.

"Zero..." she exhaled deeply. "You can tell me anything. I want to help you."

"Yuki...don't—"

"No Zero," she insisted. "This isn't the first time that this has happened. You've been having these nightmares for awhile now, haven't you?" She didn't expect a response back, and didn't get one. "I've heard you, you know. And it hurts me that you don't want to talk about this." She dropped her hand down in her lap, missing the tortured expression that flashed across his face.

She took a deep breath, still refusing to look at him. "It was about...that night...wasn't it...?" she whispered.

Zero glanced away.

"It was?"

Still, he didn't look at her.

"Or it wasn't...?" She asked, still unsure. After no reply from Zero, she sighed. Then she suddenly reached forward, wrapping both her arms around his shoulders. She knew that when she held him that it helped the both of them. Hopefully, it still had an effect on him.

It did. Zero was surprised, but content at the same time. He hesitated for a moment before hugging her back. And he relaxed when he did so. He always felt so calm when she held him. He felt like himself, as if he didn't have any worries to bother him anymore. He could just lie in her arms forever, unmoving as they held each other close. Yuki poured all her feelings for him in the hug, and he felt it. He knew that it was only sisterly concern that influenced her, but still...for now, that was all that he needed. Of course, he wanted more.

He had always longed for more from Yuki. Not her blood, though. Her smile, her eyes, her laugh, her silly charm that always made him smile. Her smile, and only hers that she saw. He wanted the same look that she gave Kuran, her childhood love. He knew that he lived in a fantasy world, but a man could still dream, right?

Ahh, that was heaven to him. To stay in Yuki's arms forever and not worry about what the future would bring, which included his death as well as losing Yuki in the process.

After a long moment, Yuki began to pull away. She gave Zero a small smile, tilting her head slightly to the side when she finally got a reaction from him. He wore a tiny smile as well. It wasn't the rare smile that she often saw from him, the one that left dimples on his cheeks and a bright twinkle in his eye. But it was improvement for now.

"You alright now, Zero?" Yuki asked.

He shrugged, already preparing to stand and stretch. How did she do that? he wondered.

One moment he was loathing himself for creating such an image of Yuki, and the next his heart is fluttering as she holds him.

"You should get back to bed, Yuki," he muttered as he opened his bedroom door for her. She stood, yawned, and did as he told her to. But hesitated before fully exiting the room.

She bit her lip as it quivered, and gulped. "Zero..." she whispered. "Was it something else? Was your nightmare really bad?"

She had heard his reactions from earlier nightmares about that night, but tonight's was different from the rest. He had screamed, for goodness sake. And she swore as she had left her bedroom that he had yelled her name.

She wondered what could bother him so much...

"Goodnight Yuki," Zero muttered, about to close the door. Yuki wanted to stop him, but saw that she didn't have to. He paused midway, and glanced back at her. For a short moment, his feelings betrayed him as they revealed themselves through his eyes. Yuki read the fear, the self disgust, the sadness, and the agony... She felt her heart quench together at the sight.

Then she felt herself being caught up in a strong pair of arms that squeezed her hard against his body for a split painful moment. Zero loosened his hold, trembling for a moment as he lay his forehead on hers. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry..." he whispered repeatedly against her hair. He had one hand holding her head against his chest, and the other wrapped itself around her waist.

Yuki grinned slightly, and wrapped her own arms tightly around his torso. "Don't..." was all she said, slightly confused but utterly grateful that he was at least trying to make an effort.

Zero rested his chin on her head, sighing as he rocked her frail body in his arms, soothing her to sleep. He never wanted to let her go, but he had to some time. She wasn't going to go to sleep standing upright.

Yuki sighed, hugging him tightly against her as she felt her own body also become relaxed.

Then a few minutes later, Zero heard the gentle snore of Yuki as she fell into a deep sleep. He sighed, picking her up in his arms as he walked toward her bedroom. Then he dropped her sleeping form softly onto her covers, careful to cover her tightly. The temperature was dropping, and Zero didn't want Yuki to catch a cold.

Before he left the room, he sneaked one more glance at her and grinned. Yuki looked like an angel whenever she slept. Her soft, touchable hair fanned around her pale, beautiful and translucent face. Even her lips, small and parted like they always were as she slept, were beautiful. Perfect.

And Zero. What was he? Nothing but a hideous monster who didn't deserve her. No matter how much he hated him, Zero had to admit that even Kaname was better than him. Not for her, but almost close.

He sighed.

Hating himself was getting no where. It was late, and he was tired. He hated the thought of going to back to sleep where his nightmares could catch up to him again.

"Zero..." she suddenly heard Yuki's gentle voice. He turned around and looked at her, strolling over to the bed to kneel down. Her eyes, beautiful and slightly sleepy looking, met his. Then she moved the covers lower, patting the bed beside her. "Stay here, Zero. Stay..."

As much as he liked the thought, Zero shook his head.

"You're asleep, Yuki. It's alright. I'm going to my own bed."

She shook her head once, sleepily. "Please Zero. I want you to stay. Besides," she said, yawning at the same time. "You'll have nightmares if you go back." She stared intently into his eyes, searching.

Holy crow, how did she do that? It was like she was purposefully trying to put a spell on him. But she didn't have to. Zero would do anything just to make her happy.

"Alright," he finally agreed, grinning. "Scoot over, will ya? This is just for a few minutes."

Yuki obeyed him, and cuddled up close to Zero as he pulled the thick, soft covers over them. It wasn't a big bed, but it was alright for the both of them if they didn't move. Yuki settled her head on his shoulder as his left arm was tucked away underneath her. His free arm was draped along her waist, where Yuki held it there as she squirmed her face into the bend of his neck.

Yuki sighed. So warm...

Zero fought a sudden shiver as Yuki's heated breath touched his skin.Then he relaxed as she placed her left hand on his upper chest.

"Hmmm, goodnight Zero," she whispered. Zero gulped, trying to moisten his throat which had become dry again.

"Goodnight Yuki," he said back. "Sweet dreams," he added.

Yuki grinned, and instantly fell into a deep sleep.

Hours later, when Zero was sure that the sunrise was only minutes away, he decided to get out of bed. Yuki still faced him, except this time her head was lying directly on his chest. Half of her body practically lay on his. Zero sighed, reluctant to move in case he woke her up. He also wished that he didn't have to depart her angelic sleeping figure, or her delicate sweet, sweet scent that could only belong to Yuki.

But he inhaled deeply, remembering the scent as he slid out from underneath her. She didn't stir, but merely clutched the pillow tighter to her, the same one that Zero had slept on.

At the door, Zero turned one last time. "Goodnight Yuki," he whispered. Then he carefully slipped out, closing the door behind him. He walked down the hallway back to his room, and got ready for school, knowing that Yuki was supposed to wake up soon as well.

All the while, the image of Yuki resting peacefully beside him triggered a smile to form on his face.

For now, during his last few moments of a true, free life, Zero had to savor each moment he had while he still had Yuki. While she could still smile that goofy grin of hers, and at the same time make him grin, too.

**I'll upload again soon, for all those who actually do like this story! This story will be long, so look forward to it! Until next time...!**

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	2. Chapter 2 Daydreams

**Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Knight! I swear it!**

"You! Get back to class!" Yuki yelled, blowing her whistle at a group of giggling girls near the Night class students. She scowled as they all eyed her with icy glares. She didn't care. It was her job to protect the Night class students from such sad, over obsessed girls. If only the Day class students knew what the Night class really was... If they knew their secret... But no, that would ruin everything. Everything that the Chairman dreamed of when it came to humans and vampire co-existing would be for nothing.

But that same pacifist dream that he had was shared with Yuki. Yes, she completely agreed with him. After all, her two closest friends were vampires. Both of them had saved her in some way or another, and she could always depend on them for help, and for being there.

Kaname was her hero, her savior. She thought herself to be in love with him.

And Zero, who was like her brother...she could always talk to him about anything. She could be herself when around him...

"Staring off into space again, huh?" Zero muttered, pausing beside her. She glanced him, and grinned.

"Yeah, I guess I am."

"Well, stop it. We have a job to do, remember? What would your dear Kaname say if he found out that you were daydreaming on the job?" He scowled teasingly, trying to rile her.

It worked. A scorching red blush crossed her face as Yuki turned away from him. "You're so mean, Zero," she spat back. "You shouldn't joke about stuff like that."

He snorted, and turned away as the last of the Day Class students entered their dorms. He turned slightly and saw Kuran, the last vampire to disappear into the school. Zero saw that Yuki was staring off toward the pureblood vampire too, and turned away quickly.

He hated it when she looked at that vampire in such a way. But he couldn't do anything about it, right? She loved him, after all.

"Hey Zero! Wait up," Yuki called as she ran after him. His eyes were remote as he paused for a mere second to wait for her.

They walked to the dorms together, both lost in their own thoughts. Zero was too busy thinking of Yuki, and she was thinking too much about the pile of homework that awaited her in her bedroom.

So they both didn't notice the large stone in the middle of Yuki's path as she suddenly tripped. Zero reached out to catch her, but even his fast reflexes weren't enough. Yuki's body whirled around in his grasp, and her elbow fell to the ground.

"Ow!" Yuki groaned, sitting on the ground as she studied the drop of blood welling up in the middle of the cut.

The pain hurt, it really did. She would have to bandage the cut soon. Yuki never knew that her blood flow was so fast.

"...Yuki..." Zero suddenly panted, grasping the front of his shirt. He was nearly to the point of collapsing from thirst as Yuki glanced up at him. Her body stiffened as she watched the bloodlust form in his eyes and she saw the slightly purplish silver color fading into a soft maroon shade.

"Yuki..." he moaned again, finally turning away from her.

Her scent... That was all he could think about... He couldn't even get that beautiful, luscious smell out of his head!

Ugh, he was so disgusting. He was drunk on the scent of blood, just like he had accused that vampire, Aido Hanabusa, that one time.

He could feel the tightening of his heart, and the quickening of his pulse as his heartbeat pounded in his ears. Zero could smell her sweet scent, and he tried not to let it overcome him, but it was just so...so...

He heard her blood racing through her veins as she caught his blood colored eyes again. His jaw clenched together in pain, but the familiar ache in his mouth became worse as his upper jaw throbbed and his fangs extended until they were long and pointed. His breath came in swift, little pants as he began to drag himself in the opposite direction.

Zero caught the sound of a racing heartbeat, knowing all too well that it belonged to Yuki. Was she really that afraid of him...?

"Go away..., Yuki..." he choked out, and hurried to get away from her. He rounded the corner of the Academy and disappeared behind a tree, where he finally collapsed near some bushes.

Meanwhile, Yuki was too stunned to move. She knew that she wasn't really afraid of Zero's transformation. It didn't bother her at all. Not anymore.

No. It was the look in his eyes when he had tried to get away from her. Did he really think that she would let him go so easily? Didn't he know by now that he was stuck with her? She had promised that she would be there for Zero anytime he needed blood. Yet he tried to refuse her every time.

Scowling, she picked herself, brushed her bottom clear of dirt, and raced after Zero. She easily found him right behind a tree, his shuddering body leaned up against the bottom trunk of the tree. She knelt beside him, unbuttoning the top of her jacket and blouse as she did so.

"Zero, I'm here now," she whispered to him, grabbing his chin. He stubbornly tried to look away, away from the pulsing vein at the side of her neck.

She sighed. "Zero...I've told you once before..."

"Stop it, Yuki...no—!"

But it was already too late. Yuki had steered his chin too close to her neck, and Zero froze, staring at her longing skin.

"Go ahead Zero," she whispered in comfort. Her warm, chocolate colored eyes radiated with comfort. He didn't want to stray his eyes from them. "Just take it...Zero, please..."

His unsteady breathing became hard as his thirst burned in his throat. Yuki watched as his tenuous skin was stretched stiff over fine cheekbones, making him appear so boyish and yet so handsome. He was fighting his lust for blood so fervently...how could someone possibly endure such inner torment...? Yuki wondered. Zero was strong, but she knew that his inner walls were breaking. He never liked to reveal the exposed, weak side of him. But when he did, it was only always around Yuki.

And that was what happened now. Yuki knew when Zero finally gave in; it was when she felt his body slowly relax against her, and she felt a long sigh escape him it tickled her skin.

"I'm...sorry Yuki," was all he said before his self-control finally broke. He licked the area of his target on her throat, his tongue savoring the pure taste of her. Yuki felt him and his tongue, and made a small sound somewhere between a satisfied moan and a strangled sigh. Then she tensed as she prepared herself for the twin stings that eventually ruptured the skin of her neck. Tears slipped down the edges of her cheeks as the sounds of hungry feeding soon followed. She slipped one hand through the soft, loose strands of his hair while the other traveled along his back as she calmed him down.

Zero relaxed more and more as the tiny circles caused by Yuki's fingers soon soothed him. He tried not to take too much, not anymore than he needed. He didn't want her to feel sick. The idea of troubling her more than he already was seemed to feel like a stab in his heart.

What a pain he must be, he thought.

Yuki sighed as she held the precious bundle in her arms, and tilted her head further back as dizziness overcame her. Thank goodness she wasn't anemic. The side effects would be a lot worse.

But that didn't matter to her. All Yuki could think about was how she was glad that Zero could depend on her like this. He was in so much pain... The way he clutched the back of her shirt, and the way he held her head close to him; she knew that he cared about her too.

It hurt her that Zero had to be this way.

After a long moment, Yuki felt Zero's fangs slip out of her skin and she felt his tongue sweep up all traces of blood before they could stain her clothes. Then, out of recent habit, Zero kissed each deformed cut that he had caused on her skin. She shivered as a loose droplet of blood raced down her shirt, and Zero chased after it with his tongue.

But it was too late. The droplet went too far and down her collarbone, and Zero realized too late that his tongue was sliding all the way down to the curve of her breast. He stopped himself in time as his tongue paused on the swelled flush just above her bra, and blushed furiously when he pulled away. Yuki was blushing too when his eyes caught hers, and she quickly fastened the buttons of her clothes. Zero licked his lips clean, eyeing the twin bite marks on her neck.

"You'll have to get two bandages now," he mumbled, his tone overflowing with guilt. Yuki looked at him, all too familiar with the isolated mask he wore every time he drank from her. She put on a small grin, and Zero felt enchanted as he watched her. He gulped down a fresh lump in his throat when he realized he had been staring at her for too long. Her head tilted slightly, curious.

He glanced away, their bodies only inches apart.

"Thank you...Yuki," he whispered, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye. She grinned again, a real one this time.

"Any time, Zero."

"Are you alright?" he asked, noticing that her body swayed now and then. She mentally shook herself clear.

"Yeah, just a bit dizzy. But that goes away after awhile, don't worry."

He nodded, struggling to keep his face clear of any emotion. He straightened up until he stood over her, offering his hand. Yuki sighed, but took it as she stood as well.

Was he always going to act like this after he drank from her?

Silly question, of course he was! Zero was Zero, and she couldn't change that.

"You should finish your homework," he said as they both walked toward their dorms. They searched for any signs of roaming students, found none, and continued on their way. "Hurry so you won't be late for dinner." It was clearly a dismissal.

"Alright," Yuki said, smiling as she turned to him and waved goodbye. Then she skipped down the hall and toward her room. Zero watched her, unable to stop the smile that crept onto his face. But then again, he didn't want to stop it. It made him feel good.

(Later that night)

Yuki sighed as she dragged herself down the hall.

Ugh, math homework. She hated it. She had always been bad at math, ever since she was little. Zero had helped her with it at times, but she hadn't been able to find him. He must be out with White Lily, cleaning the stables, she thought.

But it didn't matter now. It was over and done with.

Now it was time for her warm shower, where she could finally relax. She massaged her hair with her favorite strawberry shampoo, inhaling the scent as she bathed herself. Even after she was done, she still stood in the shower. Her neck extended upwards until her face got full blows of lukewarm water. The hot water stung her face for a moment, but the sting gradually grew tender as she became used to it.

She loved the feeling of the water as it traveled down her neck...the same way her blood felt whenever Zero drank for her.

She blushed, feeling the flames burst throughout her cheeks as she thought of such silly, yet amorous, thoughts.

She had to admit it now. The way Zero drank her blood had always created a stir in her. She knew that him licking her neck, and kissing her wound soon after, was beyond what a brother would do. The way he made her feel when he "cleaned up" afterwards was so un-sibling like.

Ugh! She was so confused. She didn't want to think about this now. Not about Zero.

This was her time to relax, and that was her intention all the way.

How long had she been in the shower? She wondered. Not too long since there was plenty of hot water left.

Still, she didn't want to leave cold water for Zero. He'd get cranky and upset at her if she did.

She twisted the knob of the shower until it stopped, but hesitated to get out.

Her thoughts drifted and Yuki began to ponder over random things, such as what kinds of foods would the Chairman want her and Zero to taste tonight (she was not looking forward to it), or whether or not Kaname was thinking of her in his classroom.

Yes, how she longed to see Kaname soon. She missed his handsome face and the striking features upon them when she studied him up close. She missed his warm eyes, mixed with the color of ginger and chocolate. The auburn colored pair of eyes always had a dazzling effect on her.

Only when she was around him did her mind go blank. When he was around her, all that mattered was the amount of space between them and the way he looked at her with those eyes...

She sighed. To love, and not be loved back...what a terrible feeling to endure.

The depressing thought was ruining her good mood, and she realized that a second too late. She mentally shook her head clear and stood in a proud stance.

"Fight Yuki! Fight and Win!" she cried, feeling foolish at herself as she punched the air with her soaking wet arm. She giggled to herself, muttering how all the hot steam had gone to her head.

She reached for her towel that she usually hung on the towel rack just outside the tub, but she couldn't find it. She stuck her head out, and found it lying on the floor. She bent to pick it up, and began to wrap it around her bottom as she straightened up.

Suddenly, at that moment, the door opened and Yuki recognized Zero's voice as he appeared in the doorway.

"Yuki...?" he groaned, agitated. "How long are you planning to blow dry your—?"

He stopped, frozen on the spot as he stared at Yuki, who only had the bottom half of her body covered in the towel. Her upper front, on the other hand, was completely exposed and right in the middle of Zero's view. She stiffened as well, staring at Zero with wide brown eyes, yet she made no attempt to move. She couldn't, though. It was like her body had shut down on her at the worst possible time. It took a long moment for Zero to finally comprehend how long he was actually staring at her. A nervous shudder racked through his body as he finally stirred and he stumbled back into the wall, reaching for the door handle as he tried to escape the bathroom. He forced his eyes to stray away from her beautiful body and the fully rendered delights that belonged to her.

When his eyes left hers, Yuki finally become aware of her surroundings. She uttered a small squeak as she clutched the towel farther up around her entire body. She turned slightly around, too afraid to face Zero.

He quickly closed the door to the bathroom, but stood still just before the door. His breath came in quickened gasps as the image of Yuki's exquisite body tortured his mind.

No! Not an option! He growled angrily to himself. She's like a sister to you! How dare you, you sick pervert! You cannot let your thoughts stray like that. What would she think of you if she knew?

Zero sighed, closing his eyes as he pinched the bridge of his nose. He forced himself to not think of her in that way. She was his best friend. That was all...

...That's how it should be...

Meanwhile, Yuki was now fully dressed and had finger combed her hair. But she didn't bother on blow drying her hair. Her hands were shaking too much.

Another evil red stain developed on her cheeks as she thought of her reaction. How stupid could she be? She just stood there and let him stare at her like that, never mind that Zero was now becoming a full man.

She sighed, trying to dismiss any thoughts about him and what had just occurred. When she opened the bathroom door to leave, she had expected for Zero to leave. But he was still there, looking down at the ground and leaning up against the wall opposite of her.

He didn't stir when she had opened the door, but instead wore a pained expression on his face. He didn't even budge when she inched a bit closer to him...but not too close.

"Zero...?" Yuki spoke, the slight whisper sounding loud in the awkward silence.

His head snapped up, his eyes meeting hers. Instantly, they both blushed at the same time. To Zero, Yuki's eyes were easy to read. They were filled with embarassment, with shame, and maybe...annoyance...? Why would she feel that? he wondered.

"E-Er," Yuki stammered, not meeting his eyes anymore. "I-I'll see you at dinner, then..., Zero." She rushed the words out, and turned to head down toward the kitchen.

"Wait!" Zero called, turning to face her. Yuki refused to face him, but she stopped...waiting.

He inwardly groaned. What was he thinking...?

Zero cleared his throat, moistening it up for his next words that were utterly truthful. "Yuki...er...you..." He stopped, sighing as he stared at the back of her head. "You really are beautiful, you know..." Yuki's spine straightened as her breath caught, and she instantly whirled around to face him. But Zero had already crossed into the bathroom, slamming the door in her face as he got ready for his own shower.

Yuki stared at the door for a moment, her breathing hitched as she tried to calm down her racing heart. Then, without another word, she spun around and ran toward her bedroom.

(Later)

She had planned to not speak to Zero at all during the time that they ate. As the Chairman rambled on about his new creative dish, both of them refused to meet the others' eyes. The Chairman didn't seem to notice the nervous tension between them as they did not utter a single word, and if he did...then he was really good at hiding it.

When they were all done, and Zero had cleaned up all the dishes while Yuki and the Headmaster patrolled the school grounds, he went to bed, exhausted. That night, he hoped for no nightmares. He also hoped that later on, maybe tomorrow, Yuki would forgive him.

So that night, while he slept, he dreamt. For the first time in a long while, he dreamt peacefully, with no nightmares to disturb the night.

**I'll upload more chapters as soon as I can! I hope you enjoy this one. I worked pretty hard. But please review...PLEASE! It'll help me a lot if you do. At least, then I'll know that people are actually reading my work. Until next time...! Heehee...**


	3. Chapter 3 Friendship

**--Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Knight! I know that I've said it before, but I'm doing it again. Matsure Hino owns the art and the story of Zero, Kaname, and Yuki...as well as the adorable Headmaster! Heehee! **

**Anyway, I hope you enjoy!**

When Yuki woke up that morning, she had almost forgotten all about what had happened last night. But as she hurried toward her classroom, and glimpsed Zero walking in at the same time, she blushed and slowed down. Zero saw her, and paused as well. He opened his mouth to say something, unsure of what he really wanted to tell her.

_I'm sorry, Yuki, that I barged in and saw you half naked, but I promise you, no matter how remarkable you looked, it won't happen again_...

Hell! What was he thinking? He couldn't do that.

But Yuki saved him the trouble. When she saw him about to open his mouth, she ran past him and into the classroom, leaving him there staring after her, and still a word had not been said.

All through the teacher's lecture, Zero tried rehearsing apologies in his mind. Ones that made sense, and didn't let slip any sort of emotion that he had toward her. For goodness sake, he actually had enjoyed the sight of her, dripping wet like that with beaded nipples. For a small, innocent young girl, Zero had actually been turned on.

He never thought that something like this would have ever happened to him.

Part of him wished that it didn't, so that the awkwardness between them could just vanish. The other part of him, however...

Class ended then as the teacher gave his final dismissal. Yuki tried to hurry out of her seat and reach the door before Zero, but he had faster reflexes.

His arm whipped out, grabbed her elbow and whirled her around to face him.

"Yuki," he said darkly. "We need to talk."

Yori stood behind Yuki, confused as she read the anxiety and embarrassment on her face.

"Yuki...?" she whispered, ignoring the harsh look on Zero's face. "Are you alright? Did Zero do something to you?" She glared at him out of the corner of her eye as she asked Yuki this, and he seemed almost taken aback.

Yuki looked at Yori, glad that her friend seemed so protective over her. On the other hand, she could not mix Yori up with this. No, not even her best friend could help her with this one.

"No, it's fine Yori," she told her. "I'm just going to have a small chat with...Zero, here." Still, despite her calm voice, her eyes shook with fear. She wrenched her arm out of his grasp and turned toward the hallway and out the door. Zero followed her, careful to not look at Yori again.

When the both of them were outside, well away from the other students' hearing range, Yuki turned to Zero.

She waited, unspeaking.

He breathed deeply, wondering when to start. This was the only time that he ever dared to let his guard down. It was with Yuki, only when them two were alone.

Something about her...Zero thought.

He wasn't sure what is was, but he knew of one thing. He was glad to have Yuki as his best friend. Only she understood him. Only she cared for him. Since four years ago, all Zero saw was her grace and her love for others. He wanted that attention directed at him, too.

With this thought in mind, he suddenly found reassurance.

"Yuki..." he whispered, staring at her eyes. She tried to look anywhere else than his, and Zero almost grew exasperated. "Yuki," he said in a stronger tone. Yuki looked at him, still hesitant as she looked at him from underneath her eyelashes.

"Yes...Zero...?"

He exhaled. "Look, I'm sorry for what I did," he said quickly. "I didn't mean to look. I should have knocked and not have barged in like that. I didn't mean to stare..." He hung his head, fighting to look up and into her chocolate colored, soothing glance. One look in those eyes and Zero knew that he'd become lost in them. God forbid he start babbling nonsense.

Yuki looked at him, reading the grief in his face that mirrored her own. His eyes were dimply cast, and his hair looked more limp than ever before. Zero's complete appearance reflected how deep in turmoil he felt when she wasn't around him. It was something he tried so hard to hide from her, but Yuki knew the truth. She read him so easily sometimes.

And she wanted to forgive him. All that had happened was an accident. No harm done. Although Zero now knew what lay underneath the clothes she wore... Yuki blushed deeply at the memory, and she tried to shake it away.

No, don't think of that now.

She turned her attention back to the depressed boy in front of her, and her head tilted to the side as her eyes finally caught his. She gave a brief smile.

"It's alright, Zero," she finally managed to say, sincerity spilling out in her words. "It was just a little mistake, Zero. That's all. Besides, you're my little brother. That means that it didn't really mean anything, right?" She had tried to make her tone sound teasing, but instantly she saw that what she said had been a mistake.

Zero's eyes clouded over, and his jaw tightened a bit before finally loosening. She had managed to glimpse a brief emotion that had flashed across his face, but for heaven's sake, she didn't understand it. Was it hurt? Or disappointment? She wasn't entirely sure.

Zero quickly rearranged his features until they were as blank as before.

Yuki had no idea how her words had hurt him. She probably never would, he thought bitterly. What had happened didn't mean anything to her, then, he took it. He was just a measly little brother to her. Nothing special.

He shouldn't have been surprised as he was. He shouldn't have thought of himself as anything more to Yuki. Actually, he felt stupid. Utterly idiotic for having such high hopes.

Zero sighed, reflecting on what to do next.

"'Little brother'?" he then mocked in a dark tone. He struggled to sound monotonous like always, thinking he succeeded, and snorted. "As if. I'm twice your height..._little sister._"

Yuki gaped at him, oblivious to the fact that he was trying to get a rise out of her to uplift the nervous tension between them. "_Little_...?"

"Yes, little," he chuckled quietly, the small smile on his lips lingered. Yuki smiled, loving that wonderful sound. It was so rare, so beautiful. It was such a small sound, overlooked by most, but somehow it always made her feel happy. She wondered why Zero didn't laugh often. He should. Maybe one day, she should tell him that. Yuki wondered how he would react. She didn't want to upset him and never hear his wonderful laugh again.

She sighed, finally catching on that Zero was just messing with her. "...Yeah, I am kind short..., aren't I...?" Zero's laugh softened until he merely smiled at her.

"Just a bit."

"It sucks," she said, knowing that her fate involved being a shortie...a midget...a dwarf for the rest of her life.

Zero heard the grief in her voice, and panicked.

"No, Yuki," he said tenderly, ruffling her hair as he ran his fingers through the soft strands. "You know I was only joking. Yuki, you're absolutely perfect."

Yuki paused, glancing at him through her fallen hair. Her throat grew dry.

Then, quickly, Zero let his hand go, all compassion wiped clean. His skin grew taut, and the laughing in his eyes stilled. "Let's hurry and get to class. We'll be late, and we can't afford Supplementary classes."

He began walking away back into the building. Yuki, growling about his sudden mood changes, caught up with him easily seeing that he purposely slowed down so that Yuki could be at his side.

Yes, that's what he had always dreamed of. To have Yuki by his side...forever. He knew it was a mere fantasy dream. But still...just the thought of it actually becoming real...

"Zero, what are you thinking of?" Yuki suddenly asked, tilting her head to the side in curiosity. He looked at her out of the corner of his eye, and shrugged.

"Nothing. Don't worry about it."

She huffed, but couldn't say anything further now that they were in their classroom.

The rest of the day flew by fast, and Yuki was glad that the nervousness between them had now dissolved. She hated it when she wasn't by Zero, or when they weren't talking to each other. She felt so alone, so in desperate need of his help.

Sure, Kaname had always been there for her. And she loved him, in a way. But she also loved Zero...in a different way as well. She could spill her guts out to Zero, and she knew that he wouldn't mind. And vice-versa.

They were bonded, that was a good term to sum it all up. With him drinking her blood, they had both somehow created a link between each other. Now, one could not survive without the other.

Before she knew it, it was time to patrol the school grounds, and the Night class still hadn't come out yet. What was taking them so long? she wondered, struggling to prevent a group of girls behind her from getting past. And where was Zero? He had suddenly bailed at the last minute. He was always late.

_Click._

Yuki's breath suddenly seemed to stop, along with the rest of the Day Class girls'. All of them watched as the doors to the Night Class Dorms opened, and they came walking out. Their elegance and grace was definitely something to admire. They were so stunningly beautiful, and their gazes were so dazzling that Yuki always felt herself become lost in them.

She hated to come back to the real world, but a sudden push had Yuki tumbling down toward the ground. She saw, as she was falling, that Kaname was just a few feet away. He looked like he was about to spring into action and save her, and the next moment, Yuki glanced up and there he was.

Wow, he moved so fast.

"Hello...Kaname-sama," she whispered, blushing as he looked down at her. His claret colored eyes burned into hers as he gave her a bright grin, but Yuki saw past that. She knew that he was lonely, and she wondered why. Didn't he have friends? Although it was hard to picture him and Aido Hanabusa "hanging out", she still wondered if he got along well with the other Night Class members.

"Hello Yuki, he murmured back, his voice flowing like gentle honey. His cool breath fanned across her face, and she didn't realize that he had stood her upright until his arms wrapped around her. "I'm glad that you're sacrificing so much for us, Yuki," he whispered into her hair. "I'm sorry for all the trouble." Yuki heard some of the Day Class girls behind her gasp in shock by how Kaname could hold her so gently in his arms. Many of them awed in envy, others were in too much of a shock to do anything else but stare at them.

"Oh, don't worry Kaname-sama!" Yuki said brightly, pulling away and smiling at him. "It's no trouble at all!"

He grinned at her, and lightly touched her cheek with the back of his hand. She blushed, frozen under his touch. "I appreciate all this trouble that you have to go through, Yuki. I hope you don't become hurt."

"Oh, I'll be careful," Yuki assured, flashing him a bright grin as he walked off. The school doors closed after him, breaking the trance she had put herself in. It took her a short moment to look away from the doors, her infatuated thoughts still revolving around Kaname.

She turned around and headed back toward the dorms, and suddenly wondered what Zero was up to. Yuki made a quick mental note to have a word with him about his responsibilities. He has always been late for his Guardian duties, she thought. He's always left early too just because he felt tired.

She paused, thinking of how Zero had ditched his duties around the same time when he became a vampire. He had been too sick, too weak, she remembered.

So was that why he ditched today?

Her entire body froze as intuition smacked her across the forehead.

Of course! Zero had always left early or had been late. He had never left Yuki to do the entire job by herself.

He wasn't in trouble, was he? Did he need more blood? she thought. He had just taken from her yesterday, didn't he? The wound on her neck still hadn't healed yet, but that didn't matter to her. If Zero needed blood, he should have told her! But Yuki knew just as well as Zero did that him asking her for blood was too awkward. It had always been Yuki who had forced him to drink from her.

Yuki didn't even know her legs were moving until she barged through the door of the Academy dorms, her eyes roaming the halls as she searched for his pale, collapsed body. She flipped her feet into the air as she ascended the stairway. Zero wasn't in his room, nor the bathroom, so she continued her searched down toward the Headmaster's Office. She rounded the corner, not bothering to slow down as she burst into his office.

"Chairman!" she yelled as she broke through the French wooden doors. "Father, I can't find—!" She stopped, her eyes widening as she watched the Chairman pause midstride towards Zero, who stood before him with his hand stretched out as if to grasp something. The pair of them stared at her, confused.

"What's wrong, my dear?" The Chairman asked, now turning fully to stare at her. She wasn't aware that her jaw had dropped at the sight of Zero, and she uttered a small squeak.

"Z-Zero..."

The Chairman glanced at him. "Oh, yes I apologize my dear, Yuki. On his way to meet you for your duties, I stole Zero and brought him here to discuss something." As he said this, he handed to Zero a new, full packet of blood tablets. "There you go, then."

Zero said a small thanks to him, then strode away and toward the doorway, where Yuki still stood, dumbfounded. She felt almost frozen, but managed to glance at him. "...Zero...?" she whispered.

"The blood tablets don't necessarily work for me," he began in his monotone voice. Though his eyes were curious at the way she was looking at him. "But they're handy for when I need them." At this, his eyes quickly flashed with guilt and self-hatred, which Yuki understood all too well at the moment. Whenever the subject of Zero drinking Yuki's blood came up, he always acted rather distant from her.

She tried to calm her fluttering heart and the scorching burn at her cheeks, as she studied him. She still panted, her breath coming in short, tiny puffs as she lowered her voice so that only Zero could hear her.

"Do...you need...blood, Zero...?"

Zero frowned, just as she thought he would, and tilted his head to the side toward the Chairman. "Thank you again, Headmaster."

He walked out of the room, ignoring the pleading cries of the Headmaster. "Can't you for once call me Father, Zero? How rude of you, dear boy, to ignore me in such a way after I give you life!"

"Hurry up Yuki!" Zero yelled from the hallway, irritation flowing in his voice. Yuki didn't dare disobey him. She bid a short goodbye to the Headmaster, then turned to follow Zero toward their rooms. They were quiet for some time. Zero stared straight ahead, eyes remote as usual as he had his hands shoved into his pockets. Yuki merely trailed along, glancing at him a few times. She noticed that his face had gone pale. Or maybe it was just the dim light.

They were outside Yuki's room when Zero was about to leave her. She grabbed his arm, whirling him around.

"Zero, I need to speak with you for a moment."

"Yuki," he said in wary voice. "Homework..."

"Homework can wait, I need to talk to you now."

She dragged him into her room, shutting the door quietly.

Zero glanced around her room, keeping his gaze well away from hers the best he could.

Yuki noticed, and stood before him with her hands on her hips.

"If you need blood, Zero, all you have to do..."

"I don't need blood," Zero said, stiffly, as his hands dug deeper into his pockets. She frowned.

"Then what's wrong, Zero? Your face is pale, and you won't talk to me." She paused, and suddenly tilted her head to the side. "Zero...?"

"What?" he growled, refusing to meet her eyes still.

"What were you talking about with the Headmaster in his office? Surely, him giving you blood tablets doesn't take that long."

Zero shifted from one foot to the other, clearly annoyed and uncomfortable. Hell, she didn't seem to miss a thing. It was one of the million things that made him admire her for.

"Nothing," he lied and tried to walk around her toward the door. She blocked it, holding her arms wide against the wall as if her small, feeble body could outmatch his.

He almost smiled at her bravery.

"Yuki," he warned, trying to glare at her. "I have homework and chores to do, too, you know. We can't waste time here arguing over nothing."

"I'm not arguing," she replied softly. "I just want to know what's wrong, Zero. You're not leaving this room until I find out what."

A flicker of anger passed through Zero, but it was gone quickly as despair seemed to overwhelm him. He sighed, giving up as he went to sit over on the corner of her bed. Yuki was surprised at his rapid mood change, but followed him on her bed. He sat still, glaring at the ground as he thought. Yuki waited for a short moment, but then grew impatient. She reached up with both hands toward his face, and tilted his head so that he had no choice but to face her now.

"Tell me," she whispered, her sweet breath shrouding his face. Zero blinked once, then twice to clear his head before he finally spoke. He didn't want her hands to leave him, but if she wanted any answers from him, he had to remain in control. And with her face so close to his, and her small, smooth hands holding his cheeks with such a caressing touch, Zero didn't feel anywhere near controlled.

He pulled away regretfully, trying to remember how to speak correctly without revealing an ounce of emotion in his voice.

But it wasn't that hard, considering the next words Zero intended to say.

"We were discussing," he began in a deep voice. "An upcoming trip I was planning to take in a few days."

Yuki looked at him, confused. "Trip? What trip?"

Zero's eyes darkened, but he didn't let Yuki see. He didn't want her to worry over him. So he pasted on a weak smile on his face and looked at her. "Silly Yuki, did you already forget that the anniversary of the deaths' of my parents is in two days?" But his choice of words were wrong. Yuki's breath caught, and she was unsure of the casual tone Zero was trying to fake. She knew that he cared for his parents, especially the anniversary of their deaths. So why did Zero feel that he had to cover up his feelings in front of her? She needed to know.

Yuki blinked sudden tears that burned the corner of her eyes, and she wiped away dry tears at her cheeks. Zero saw her, and frowned, hating himself for opening his damn mouth.

"It's alright, Yuki. You don't need to cry." He reached for her, wrapping his arms around toward her back. She snuggled against his shirt, gripping his collar as warm tears ran down her face. But Yuki was not crying for herself, but for Zero. What pain he must be going through...

Zero sighed, cursing himself to the pits of hell. The last thing he had wanted to do was to make Yuki cry. Especially when she was crying about him.

This was all wrong. He should have been the one crying. Afterall, it was _his_ parents. The most feared Vampire Hunters in their time. Now there they were, rotting in their graves thanks to the creatures that they had tried so hard to destroy.

Oh, the irony.

Yuki absently rubbed her face into Zero's shirt, wiping the tears but also ruining his clothes all the more. She pulled back slowly, glimpsing the wrinkled piece of clothing. She sniffed, hiccuped once, then sighed. "Sorry," she whispered to him.

He glanced down at her, his gaze soft and vulnerable. Yuki stared back, surprised to see him looking at her with such a look. The emotions that Zero were feeling were sprawled all over his face, and he didn't even bother to cover them up. He liked being with Yuki, here in her room with no one to disturb them. He liked the optimistic feeling her little smile radiated. He liked the way her eyes twinkled with tears...for him. Althought he hated the idea of her crying... Still, she didn't go crying over Kaname Kuran all the time. He almost smiled at the thought.

What she felt for him wasn't love. But at least she cared deeply for him. Even if it was just for a sibling.

It was enough for Zero.

For now...

"You alright now, Yuki?" he asked, still holding onto her even though they had pulled away a bit. She nodded once at him, grinning weakly as she still held onto his hands. His fingers were so long, but so firm. She loved holding them. And Zero bit back a long needed sigh as he felt her hands tighten around his.

"Thanks Zero..."

"Anytime." He weakly smiled back at her before hugging her against him again. "Just don't go crying or worrying over me everyday. I have chores and homework to do, too, you know."

Yuki giggled, nodding against his warm chest in response. Above her, Zero smiled, and pulled her even closer as he wrapped his arms around her head. Yuki let her head fall forward, breathing in the scent of him as she half sat on his lap.

He stiffened for a moment as her warmth breath tickled his exposed skin near his neck. It sent flutters through his stomach, and he wasn't sure if he liked the feeling or not. When he realized that Yuki's eyes were closed and that her breathing had gradually slowed, he relaxed.

She was such an angel. _His_ angel, he sometimes liked to think of her.

But after a too short moment, Zero pulled away from her to stand up. "I have to go Yuki, it's getting late."

Disappointed, Yuki just nodded and started to walk him towards her door. Zero read her expression, and smiled as he ruffled her hair. "Don't worry. I'll be back to say goodnight later."

She beamed. Zero's smile grew wider.

Refreshed and much better than before, Yuki seemed more like herself again. "So when are you leaving, Zero?" she asked him.

Zero paused outside her door, hesitant to answer so quickly. "Tomorrow afternoon," he started, his voice going slightly flat. "Right after the Day Classes return to their dorms. I won't have time to pack then, so I guess I'll start after my homework tonight."

He turned to go. But Yuki had grown still as he had spoken.

He was going to be gone for two days. For her, two days without Zero.

That was... unbearable.

She remembered back to all those years Zero had gone to visit his parents by himself. Back then, he wouldn't allow anybody to go with him, not even the Headmaster.

But now, after Zero had turned into a vampire, Yuki didn't want him to go alone this time. Because, just recently, their closeness had grown into a deep bond. Yuki couldn't imagine being without Zero for so long.

He was always there for her. Always there to protect her..., to hold her close..., to be the vulnerable, smiling Zero she had grown to know more and more, and to love...

Yuki gulped back a fresh lump in her throat. What would it feel like to ask if she could go with him? she wondered. She desperetely wanted to. She didn't want him to go alone, that's for sure. And she didn't want to feel abandoned, to feel alone here without him...

Zero had already left Yuki standing in her doorway. He had dragged himself down the corridor toward his room, instantly regretting not asking Yuki to accompany him this time. He knew that she would probably think him a fool, a baby that merely sought a mother's shoulder to cry on. She would think of him weak. Pathetic... If he asked her, she would probably think that he just wanted her for her blood.

But none of that was true.

He wanted her. Just her...

And her beautiful smile, her warm touch, her wonderful, soothing hugs.

Yes, Zero wanted her there beside him, to hold his hand on the way there and on the way back.

He stopped midstride, only a few steps from his bedroom, when he turned slightly at the sound of soft footsteps. Yuki jumped on him, burying her face in his shoulder as her arms wrapped around him.

"Oh Zero! I don't want to be alone!" she cried.

Zero frowned, instantly pulling her back and holding onto her cheeks.

"Yuki, what do...?"

"Can Yuki go with Zero?" she asked in a small voice, staring into his amethyst eyes for strength. Her voice was strained, as if fearing his rejection.

Zero froze, his eyes growing wide. He looked at her pale face and anxiety filled eyes, knowing deep inside that she truly worried for him. Would she really go with him if he said yes? he wondered.

"Why?" he simply asked, wanting to know the truth.

At first, she was confused. He hadn't given her an answer yet, though. So it wasn't a no.

Yuki read his face, searching for a real response. None came.

"I guess...I want to be with you," she answered in a small voice. Her head was bowed down, too afraid and weak to hold up.

Zero felt a bright grin stretch across his face. He beamed.

"Really?" he asked, a hint of teasing in his voice. That brought Yuki's head up as she looked at him.

"Yeah, really," she said back. "Besides, it'll be so lonely here. So boring. Classes will be tough if you're not here to help me with homework."

Zero's smile slipped into a frown, and his eyes furrowed.

Was that all she wanted? he thought, incredulous. For a moment, he had felt so proud. Now Yuki had just shot it all down.

Well, if she was to be so bored, then she could just go to Kuran for all he cared...

Yuki's smile also vanished at the sudden change of his mood. She had only been joking; she hadn't meant for him to take it so seriously. "Zero," she started. "I was kidding, you know."

He stared, disbelieving.

She sighed. "Listen, I really do want to be with you. I'll miss you when you're gone."

"It's just two days, Yuki," he reminded her in a black tone. Still, he felt relief seeping back into him.

"I know, I know..." she sighed. "But you won't be here. And I care about you, Zero," she said, as if stating the obvious. "You're my brother. I'll be so worried about you."

Zero stared at her, searching her eyes for any sign of falsehood.

But her eyes were too apparent. Too innocent. He would be a fool not to believe her.

"Alright, alright," he finally gave in, making himself sound irritated. "I guess if you want to go so bad..." Yuki's eyes narrowed, instantly hearing the sarcasm in his voice. She opened her mouth to say something, but when she looked back at Zero and glimpsed the smirk on his face-the smirk she read so easily and that said "Go ahead, get mad and yell at me"-she smiled a small grin.

"Thanks, Zero," she said, and watched with glee as Zero's face went from shock, to content once more.

She's unbelievable, he thought.

Yuki stood straight and unwrapped herself from Zero's arms, never straying her eyes from his as she leaned forward to kiss the bottom half of his jaw. "Goodnight," she whispered, and walked away back toward her room.

He watched her, his hand instinctively raising to touch the spot where her lips had touched his skin. A soft prickle raced through his veins as his lips twitched into a grin.

Then it was gone in an instant as he turned to go back inside his room. Tonight he would have to pack. In less than a day, he would be traveling back to where his parents lay, to the town he grew up in and lived his last years as a true human. Although he would be with Yuki, reality still crashed down upon him like a great wave.

And he wanted to forget all about it. That's why he wanted Yuki to accompany him. Her presence always made him feel as if she and him were the only two that existed in the world. As if only _she_ mattered. With him.

Zero changed in his bedroom, grabbing his bathroom towel as he headed down the hall to take a shower. He paused outside Yuki's door, catching the sound of piles of clothing tumbling onto her bed. He wondered what she would be wearing on their afternoon trip. And during that one night in a hotel that Zero was planning to reserve for them.

He shook his head of such thoughts, hurrying toward the bathroom to take a cold shower that he knew would help ease his perverted mind.

Still, he couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to have Yuki to accompany him every year to visit his parents' graves. Every year for the rest of his life.

**Hey, I hoped you liked this new chapter of Together For Now! Sorry it took so long to upload, for those you have been waiting. Thanks for all the reviews I've gotten so far, I really appreciate it. I hope to see some more after this chapter. Flames are welcome, unlike with other stories. If someone thinks these stories need improvement, I encourage you to say so.**

**So...until next time...! Hee hee.**


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